Egypt launches official mobile app for tourist

CAIRO, Nov 27 ― Launched by the Egypt Tourism Authority, a new app gives smartphone users an interactive and convenient way to plan a trip to the country.

In addition to practical information, Egypt Travel includes an index of 412 destinations and attractions located in the most tourist-friendly regions, including the Egyptian coastline on the Mediterranean and Red Seas, the Nile Valley and the desert.

The app is currently available for free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, and will be available for Android from mid-December 2013.

The app is one of several government initiatives aimed at reviving the Egyptian tourism industry, which has suffered over the past two years due to political instability and frequent uprisings in the country.

www.egypt.travel/mobile/

Za'zou - Tourism Expected to Improve As Several States Lift Travel Ban

Tourism Minister Hisham Za'zou

Tourism Minister Hisham Za'zou expects tourism to improve in November since several countries have already began lifting their travel ban to Egypt after security conditions have become better.

Addressing the opening session of a five-day conference of the Association of Travel Journalists (FIJET), he noted that the Russian ambassador in Cairo has told him that Russia decided to lift its travel ban on all parts of Egypt as of today, adding that several countries have already lifted their travel warnings against the Upper Egypt governorates of Luxor and Aswan.

Tourism suffered a sharp drop in September and October that reached 55 per cent due to negative incidents carried out by Brotherhood elements in streets, he said.

He added that dispersing Brotherhood sit-ins in Rabaa el-Adaweya and Nahda squares was an exigency and a public request because protesters attacked citizens and the strikes affected the Egyptian economy and traffic on streets.

He noted that the ministry has a short-term plan for activating tourism, noting that the ministry and the Egyptian Tourism Authority (ETA) cooperated with travel agents and manipulated the internet and social networking services to promote for Egyptian tourist hubs.

He added that the ministry will also launch in the coming period a campaign entitled "Thanks" to activate Arab tourism in Egypt. The campaign is meant to express appreciation to Gulf states which backed Egypt in such sensitive stage.

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FM Delays Rise On Visas to May 2014 to Boost Tourism

Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi approved Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou's request to halt implementation of visa rise on tourists until May 2014.

Meantime, Zaazou thanked Fahmi for his decision to delay the implementation for the second time in row, adding that the decision would boost tourism.

The rise was planned to be implemented this month but was delayed to February and then to May 2014.

Zaazou said that delaying the raise would encourage local and foreign tourism companies to promote tourism in Egypt during the coming period.

www.egypt.travel